HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Brigadier-General FERRERO, Commanding Fourth Division : GENERAL: The commanding general directs that you continue to hold the line you now occupy, and will also, as soon after dark as possible, relieve General Cutler's division, of the Fifth Corps. He directs that you report to General Cutler for consultation as to the position. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, LEWIS RICHMOND, Assistant Adjutant-General. HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Maj. Gen. A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: The First Division of this corps having left Lee's Mill the position is now occupied by General Kautz's division. Unless otherwise directed I will to-morrow morning make the following changes in the dispositions of the divisions: The now unemployed brigade of General Wilson's division will relieve General Kautz's division at Lee's Mill. General Kautz's division will move to a point in the road leading from Prince George Court-House/ to Jordan's Point and near Burchett's; this latter disposition to cover securely the country about Sycamore Church, and thus protect the cattle herd of the army and the cavalry train against any incursions of the enemy's cavalry. By this arrangement two divisions could readily be concentrated at Prince George Court-House. All quiet along my picket-line. Very respectfully, D. McM. GREGG, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Lieutenant-General GRANT : JULY 31, 1864–12 m. Birge's and Molineux's brigades, of the Nineteenth Corps, left Bermuda Hundred for the destination ordered, and they are all that were ordered to go. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. CITY POINT, VA., July 31, 1864. General BUTLER: You need not take the Coehorns and mortars from all the trenches until further orders. By command of Lieutenant-General Grant: E. S. PARKER, Aide-de-Camp. JULY 31, 1864–11.30 a. m. (Received 12.30 p. m.) Lieutenant-Colonel BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant-General: Troops of Ninteenth Corps all embarked and boats moving off. J. W. SHAFFER, Colonel and Chief of Staff. Major-General BUTLER: JULY 31, 1864–10 a. m. It was my intention to comply with the order returning General Kautz and command to Bermuda Hundred, but in the night a division of cavalry was ordered to City Point, and as the enemy have concentrated two divisions of cavalry on my left and rear, I have sanctioned General Sheridan's retaining temporarily General Kautz. He will be sent to you as soon as possible. The question could not be referred to Lieutenant-General Grant, as that officer left City Point last night, and I have just been apprised of General Sheridan's action. If, after this explanation, the exigencies of the service, in your judgment, require General Kautz's immediate return, I will send him back. Major-General MEADE: GEO. G. MEADE, JULY 31, 1864-10.45 a. m. Telegram received. Keep Kautz if you have need of him for the present. I only desired to save him a twenty-mile march after the order for the movement was countermanded. Send him back after your need shall have passed by. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General, Commanding. General RAMSAY, IN THE FIELD, July 31, 1864. Chief of Ordnance, Washington: An order to Captain Mordecai, my chief of ordnance in the field, relieves him and orders him to Watervliet Arsenal. Captain Mordecai is of the utmost necessity here, and I would request that the order may be revoked, if not detrimental to public service. I make this telegram with the assent of Captain Mordecai. BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General. Col. E. D. TOWNSEND, HEADQUARTERS, Assistant Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.: I have ordered one regiment of colored cavalry to report for duty at Camp Hamilton as guards of the camp of rendezvous at Camp Hamilton, according to your request. I have further directed General Palmer to furnish a guard to the recruiting station there. Both Fortress Monroe, under the guns of which Camp Hamilton is, and New Berne, are strongly fortified places, so that no other guards but camp guards will be necessary. General Ord directs that you send two companies of infantry early to-morrow morning to Harrison's Landing to take possession there. An engineer officer with a company of engineers will be there to throw up covers for you. There is no enemy there. Telegraph General Ord if you need any transportation. Please acknowledge receipt. R. S. DAVIS, Assistant Adjutant-General. General WEITZEL, HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Chief of Staff, Bermuda Hundred: Major Duane desires to know if you have had any instructions in regard to the new line in front of the Eighteenth Corps? N. MICHLER, Major of Engineers, U. S. Army. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Maj. N. MICHLER, ENGINEER OFFICE, July 31, 1864. U. S. Engineers, Hdqrs. Army of the Potomac: Lieutenant Michie will be I have received no instructions in regard to a new line. I leave for Norfolk to-morrow, on account of illness. left in charge, probably. G. WEITZEL, HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Lieutenant-Colonel COMSTOCK, City Point: In the Field, July 31, 1864. Please send any orders in regard to the line of the Eighteenth Army Corps to Captain Farquhar, as I leave here to-morrow on account of ill-health. G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Chief Engineer. JULY 31, 1864. (Received 8.45 a. m.) Lieutenant-Colonel HOWARD, Chief Quartermaster: Why has not the embarkation commenced before? As transports are scarce you will see that all at Bermuda Hundred are fully loaded, and that some officer of the quartermaster's department is present at all times to superintend the embarkation. R. INGALLS, Brigadier-General and Chief Quartermaster. BERMUDA, July 31, 1864. (Received 9 a. m.) General INGALLS, City Point: GENERAL: Three thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine men of the First and Second Brigades of the Nineteenth Army Corps are now here. Will commence embarking immediately. Very respectfully, JOHN B. HOWARD, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief Quartermaster. Brigadier-General INGALLS, BERMUDA, July 31, 1864-11 a. m. Chief Quartermaster: Embarkation commenced as soon as transports were ready. Boats will be fully loaded and leave by 12 o'clock. JOHN B. HOWARD, Lieutenant-Colonel and Chief Quartermaster. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brig. Gen. R. INGALLS, City Point: The Eighteenth Indiana, the last regiment remaining of the Nineteenth Army Corps, was with Foster at Deep Bottom. It could not be relieved sooner. It is now on its way to Bermuda Hundred and needs transportation to Washington. Can you furnish it? Respectfully, G. WEITZEL, Brigadier-General and Acting Chief of Staff The following message signaled from the enemy's station on west bank of James River near Cox's Ferry was read by Lieutenant Ireland to-day: Flag Officer MITCHELL: Grant sprung a mine at Petersburg at 5 a. m. yesterday; charged and took our line. Mahone with his own and Wright's brigade recaptured the works and took General Bartlett and staff, 75 commissioned officers, 900 prisoners, 12 stand colors, also recaptured the party which was taken. Five hundred Yankee dead are in the trenches. This is official, SMITH, Major. Also a number of other unimportant messages. No movements of troops seen. G. S. DANA, Captain, Signal Corps, U. S. Army. JULY 31, 1864-7.50 a. m. Captain NORTON: A large wagon train with cavalry escort is passing over Chaffin's farm, going west. G. S. DANA, Captain, Signal Corps, U. S. Army. Captain NORTON: SPRING HILL, July 31, 1864–8 a. m. A train of ten cars heavily loaded with troops just passed the Junction, going toward Petersburg. HDQRS. DEPT. OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Brigadier-General WEITZEL, Chief of Staff: July 31, 1864—10.45 a. m. GENERAL: The signal officer at Walthall house states that the enemy's signal officers report that bodies of infantry are moving toward City Point this a. m. Very respectfully, &c., L. B. NORTON, Captain and Chief Signal Officer. |